Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(written by Emily Zadny, Student Sports Information Assistant)
Oct. 5, 2015 - Developing what has become a lifelong interest in the sport of tennis started at a young age and quickly became a passion for North Central College junior Katie Drone.
"I started playing tennis in eighth grade," Drone said. "I wanted to make the tennis team [in high school] so I started to work with a professional (Dave Schubert) who helped me figure out where I needed to go from there. I thought tennis couldn't be too hard—it's a racquet and ball, but I was completely wrong!"
Drone quickly picked up the basics of the sport and began competing in off-season tournaments and continuing her private lessons. After a few years of high school experience, she began to think about playing at the collegiate level.
"Around my junior or senior year, I decided I didn't want to stop playing tennis because I wanted to see how far I could go in the sport," she said. "I knew I wasn't done playing and I knew I still had more potential. I wanted to go to North Central and I thought it would be pretty great to be on the tennis team, too."
Drone had known since she was young that one day, she would be a Cardinal. The Aurora native has been familiar with the school and the draw it has for future students.
"I've always wanted to come here because I love Naperville; it's like the perfect college town," Drone said. "It's close to downtown, safe, scenic and historical. Even though it's a small school, it feels like home."
Home isn't complete without family, which is exactly what the women's tennis team is all about. With the help of first-year head coach Lydia Pond, the team has become closer both on and off the court and the overall camaraderie is a trademark to the program.
"I love Lydia," Drone said. "She brings such a positive atmosphere and personality to the team. She makes practice enjoyable - I always look forward to practice and matches. We are a different team this year; she can practice with us and hit with us and being a female coach, she can relate to us.
"I'm excited about how far we can go. I know we have the potential but with Lydia, she can help us capitalize on that. I think we can make our mark and let other schools know North Central is a great team. We are taking names when we go out on the court!"
And that's exactly what is beginning to happen this season. Despite being 1-2 overall, the Pond's squad is 3-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), owning victories over Elmhurst College, Illinois Wesleyan University and North Park University.
Drone is coming off a strong 2014-2015 campaign, finishing 10-14 overall at No.1 singles last fall and 12-10 at No. 2 doubles. With success in both positions, Drone has proven to be a versatile athlete, although singles is what she considers her strong suit.
"I prefer singles because it's where I'm more comfortable," she said. "You're by yourself which means there's no one to rely on. You have to dig deep to motivate yourself because no one else is there. You have to figure out your opponent's weaknesses and it's more of a challenge, but it's still fun and I like that."
Drone has competed against tough CCIW competition in the past and knows that the rest of the schedule will be a significant challenge.
"I never give up. I always preserve and keep going, even if I'm down. I don't think about the score; it's just one point at a time. I think that is my secret weapon."
Drone uses this same mentality of focusing on the moment and what needs to be done when it comes to her academics and extracurricular activities. The elementary education major keeps herself busy with her involvement with the Blue Key Honor Society and the Distinguished Leaders Program.
She is also a two-time Second Team All-CCIW honoree, as well as an Academic All-CCIW selection and the 2014 Jack Swartz Academic Award winner last fall, which is awarded to only two student-athletes from each CCIW institution each season.
Even for someone who is calm and collected on the court, Drone admits there are still times when she feels overwhelmed, just like most student-athletes.
"I'm still trying to figure it out," Drone said with a laugh. "As a junior, things are getting more difficult, more in your major. But what I have learned is that whatever you are doing in that moment, focus on it. When you are at tennis, you focus on tennis, but when you're in school that's what you think about. I just try to focus on the moment."
No matter how packed her schedule is or how hard practices are, Drone loves being a student-athlete at North Central. The experience, friendships, and competition keep her coming back onto the court every day.
"I don't know what else I would do," Drone said. "I think being a college athlete is such a cool experience. I think sometimes, 'Wow, if I wasn't playing tennis, I would have so much time to do other things,' but at the same time, you have the chance to play the sport you love in college and not many people get that opportunity."
